Attachments and Securities
by Haluwasa2
Summary: Everyone had some habit or attachment to something when they were young. The turtles are no different. 2k3 Turtles.
1. Thumb Sucker

**Thumb Sucker**

_Age 3_**  
**

Shifting around, Don found that he couldn't sleep. Master Splinter was asleep on the mat across the room, but...Don just couldn't bring himself to wake him. Of course his father would have helped him, but he knew Master Splinter would have needed sleep too. The toddler turtle pondered. What could he do to get to sleep?

'_I've got it!_' he thought '_I'll think of something that made me happy during the day!_' The olive green turtle went through the day's events. He'd played with Mikey, but he couldn't get up and play with his toys now. He had liked the story Master Splinter had told them, but he couldn't reenact the story and if he tried to tell himself the story then he'd be up all night. Was there nothing to help him!

The he remembered the lollipop. Juicy and red, Donnie had savored the taste of cherry. It was one of the most delicious things he had ever tasted. Master Splinter had come upon the rare treat and given the turtles one each. Stickiness had never tasted so good and red circle just about melted in his mouth. Thinking about the sugary candy that made him happy, put Donnie at peace. Slowly, without realizing it, his thumb slipped into his mouth to remind him of the lollipop. With that peace and comfortable feeling, Donnie slowly drifted asleep.

_Age 5_

"Ow! It hurts!" cried Donnie.

"I know, my son, but unfortunately this iodine is the only way to stop your cut from getting infected," said Master Splinter as he carefully dabbed the wound with wet cotton ball. "Perhaps you could do something that makes you happy." Instantly, Donatello's thumb went to his mouth. He sighed contently and from then only had minor winces when the iodine was placed on his cut. Soon, it was over and Master Splinter sent him to go play with his brothers.

Master Splinter was a little worried though. For two years, Donatello had sucked his thumb and although his teeth were fine now, there was no telling what could happen in the future. If any of his sons had tooth problems, there would be no way to fix them. They had no money and no way to be accepted into any dentist's office. He certainly hoped Donatello would loose interest in his thumb soon or he would have to talk to him.

_Age 6_

Yes, Master Splinter had talked to him, but she just couldn't stop. Sucking his thumb made him feel better. It helped him sleep, too. His thumb had become a comfort he needed and couldn't let go. But now he was being punished for it. Now that they were older there were things that they had begun to consider childish. And Donnie had become a prime target for Raph's teasing because of his habit.

"Thumb sucker! Thumb sucker! Donnie is a thumb sucker!" Raph sang in a teasing tone.

"Stop it, Raph! Leave me alone!" shouted Donnie.

"Is the wittle baby, a thumb sucka, d'aww. Isn't dat cute?" Raph baby talked him then snorted and walked away.

'_Who cares what Raph thinks? I sure don't,_' thought Donnie. But, still, he had been hurt and he placed his thumb in his mouth to comfort himself.

_Age 8_

Somethings are a habit, but somethings are addiction. And sometimes it's both. Unfortunately, Don's thumb sucking had fallen into the third category. His hand slowly inched toward his face. He took his other hand and slapped it away. Using his sucking hand, he picked up his spoon to eat his breakfast. Don bit down on crunchy cereal with no milk. Milk was something he never put in his cereal, he thought it made it too soggy.

The purple masked turtle put the spoon down. His sucking thumb was placed in a thumbs up position on the table. His left hand, the one with the thumb he didn't suck, was placed over his right wrist to make sure he knew when he lifted to put it down. Donatello had no clue what to do about his thumb sucking problem. All he knew was that he had to stop or it could lead to tooth problems. His front two bottom teeth were a little crossed and he was lucky it wasn't worse. Man, he was worried about this.

Absent mindedly, he lifted his thumb to his mouth. But instead of the usual absence of flavor that was skin he was met with a spicy burning taste.

"Yow!" he shouted. His eyes suddenly met Raph who was standing like a deer in headlights holding a spice bottle full of hot chili pepper seasoning. With realization, Don smiled and said "Thank-you, Raph! I'll never be able to put my thumb in my mouth again!" He quickly gave his red masked brother a hug and ran to go wash his hands.

_Age 15_

"Hey, Don. I'm having a sidewalk sale. Anything you want to sell?" asked April coming into Donnie's lab. Without realizing, Don put his thumb in a thumbs up position on his mouth and made clicking with the back of his tongue. After a moment he spoke.

"Yes, I have an old chem set and a few old board games," he said getting up and going to the back of his lab.

"Why do you do that?" asked April.

"What?" said Donnie handing April the chem set and then went in search of the board games.

"You put your thumb in a thumbs up position on your lips and make a clicking noise," said April "Like this." Don turned to watch April's demonstration.

"Oh," he said grabbing the board games "Just an old habit."

He walked over to his desk and pulled two things out of a cylinder container next to his computer. Holding the board games in one arm he held out one of the things to April.

"Lollipop?"

_**End of Chapter**__**...**_

__**Kai**: I own nothing, but the plot!


	2. Pacifier

**Pacifier**

_Age 3_

Mikey had always had his pacifier. When he was younger it never left his mouth. It was a comfort tool and he knew the sucking sensation also calmed Don who had recently begun to suck his thumb. But even so Mikey wanted to stop sucking, but he didn't want to throw it out either. It was a hard decision and not easily made especially for a three year old, but what could he do?

It took a while, but he finally figured it out. He would make it a good luck charm! But how could he? Surely there must be some special way to make it. '_Well_,' he thought '_Master Splinter does know EVERYTHING. So I'll ask him._' Mikey soon found his father in a light meditation.

"Um, Master Splinter," said Mikey.

"Yes, Michelangelo?" asked his father.

"Do you know how to make something a good luck charm?" asked the little turtle toddler.

"What did you have in mind?" questioned Master Splinter.

"My pacifier," answered Mikey quietly.

"Yes, I believe I do," said Master Splinter, getting up.

Soon Master Splinter and Mikey had gathered up some string, a pair of scissors, and Mikey's orange pacifier. Then Master Splinter began the instructions "First, you see how much string you need to be able to tie it around your neck." The rat sensei did just that and then removed it from around Mikey's neck and said "Now you cut the string to length needed." He snipped the string with the scissors. "Now you put the pacifier on the string," Master Splinter said and quickly threaded the string under the pacifier's handle and the said "And tie it around your neck." and Master put it around his young son's neck and tied it.

"That's it?" asked Mikey "That's all you have to do?"

"Yes, my son," answered his father.

"Wow! Thanks, Master Splinter!" exclaimed Mikey giving his father a hug and running to go play with his brothers.

_Age 5_

Here it was. It was his turn. Mikey rubbed his pacifier for good luck. Right now it was his turn to do the kata him and the others had been mastering. Always one for goofing off, this was his turn to show his Master and brother that he took being a ninja seriously. He had practiced for hours each day and he only hoped that he did it right. This was his pacifier good luck charms real test to see if it was really good luck. It had passed every other test so far in the two years he had it. He took his place in the center of the room.

"Begin," commanded Master Splinter Mikey went through each movement in his head. By the end, he was sure he had made a mistake. He looked to his sensei's serious face. Downcasting his eyes he had wondered what he did wrong. Letting his eyes wonder he came upon his father's face and saw the smile on it. He took a deep breath and then Master Splinter said "Well done. Not one mistake." Mikey swelled with happiness. '_I guess my pacifier really is good luck, isn't it?_' he thought.

_Age 8_

"When are ya gonna stop wearin' dat thing around your neck?" asked Raph.

"Yeah, Mikey, it just looks...weird," agreed Don.

"So? It's my good luck charm," said Mikey "I'll never ever ever let it go."

"But you've got to let it go sometime," said Leo.

"No I don't. I'll never let it go. It will be with me forever!" answered Mikey.

"Listen, Mikey," said Don "I've stop sucking my thumb so isn't it about time you stopped wearing that thing?"

"NO!" yelled Mikey as he ran away.

They just didn't understand. His brothers didn't have anything that they clinged to. Especially not Leo and Raph. That was only to his knowledge, but he was just about one hundred percent positive that they didn't. No one understood. He needed his good luck charm. What if he went out without it and got hurt or he forgot to rub and made tons of mistakes in training? The pacifier good luck charm made him safe. He needed and would never let it go for anyone.

_Age 15_

"Thanks for helping me sell my stuff, Mikey," said April.

"Not a problem, April," said Mikey fully clothed in a disguise "And we have my good luck charm. We are sure to sell everything." Mikey showed her the pacifier.

"I've seen that before," said April.

"When I go out I leave it at home in case a loose it," said Mikey "I've only been doing this since we began battling the Shredder. You know, so I don't loose it."

"Ah," said April. Suddenly, a baby's cry could be heard. A poor looking family walked by trying to shush their baby girl. Quickly, April got up from her seat at her sidewalk sale and over to the family and asked "Do you need anything to help her quiet down?"

"We have no money to purchase any item," answered the father.

Mikey looked down at his good luck charm. He had just washed the pacifier today. It was the perfect thing to give to quiet down a child. Quieting down was the reason he had the pacifier in the first place. But how could he let it go? It was his good luck charm. Bad things happened when he didn't rub it. Like when Leo was seriously injured by the Foot or when Donnie turned into a monster. But then again, was luck real? When he had truly first decided that his pacifier was good luck he had trained hard to do his kata. Was it really his work that did that? There was only one way to find out.

He go up and put the pacifier in the baby girl's mouth and the rope around her neck. She instantly quieted down and slowly began to fall asleep.

"No charge," Mikey said "And that will bring her good luck, too." The family thanked them and left. A few hours later after long sales pitches and hard work every item dat been sold at April's sidewalk sale.

_**End of Chapter...**_

__**Kai:** I own nothing, but the plot! Review! Peace!


	3. Security Blanket

**Security Blanket**

_Age 2_

"Fadur, wud dat?" asked a tiny two year old Leonardo as his father carried him through the sewers.

"What's what, Leonardo?" Splinter replied.

"Dat," Leo said, pointing to a piece of blue cloth in a bit of garbage. Wondering himself, Splinter carried Leo over to the pile and pulled out the cloth. It was a dirty, blue colored blanket. Aside from the grime, it was still in very good shape. A child had most likely dropped it down into the sewers by accident a few days ago.

"It's a blanket, Leonardo," his father told him.

"Who blankie?" asked the toddler, mispronouncing the word.

"No one's," said Master Splinter. "It is lost and too far down to be returned to any human."

"Can have it?" Leo asked, pointing to himself. "Pweade?"

"Alright," said the rat, "But you must let me wash it first." The child nodded.

Once the two were home, Master Splinter took out the laundry bucket and got some water from a leaky pipe that sent water to an apartment building. The blue masked tot watched as his father scrub all the dirt from the blanket until it the blanket was as bright as it was when it was purchased. Leo smiled brightly as Master Splinter handed it to him.

"Dank oo!" he exclaimed as he took it and ran off to go show his brothers.

_Age 4_

Leonardo had his blanket wrapped around him tight. It was _so cold_ tonight. The blanket wasn't very warm itself, but it was better than nothing. Leo couldn't imagine life without it. The feeling of his blanket made him feel warm just because it was the blanket. He practically had it all his life.

The young turtle rolled over and saw Mikey shiver, his orange pacifier shaking around his neck. Leo hugged the blanket tighter. Poor Mikey. Leo bit his lip, knowing the right thing to do; he moved the blanket over Mikey for them both to share. The orange clad turtle tot stopped shivering a bit. Leo smiled contently and fell asleep.

_Age 6_

Leonardo has lost it. He had lost his precious blanket. And he couldn't find it anywhere. The blue cloth, which had become slightly ragged at the edges from when he first got it, had been placed down for training and Leo forgot where he left it. Now he couldn't find it. And he had been so sure he had put it in the laundry like Splinter told him to.

He'd never get to sleep again. He'd be cold all night! Okay, it was summer, but he would be cold by September! Plus, what if one of the monsters from Raph's stories came to life and tried to get him because his head wasn't covered? What if Mikey got cold? As the older brother, Leo often shared his blanket if he saw one of them shivering. Raph was easily woke up by any sudden gesture and refused the blanket, but the younger two brothers often smiled when they found the blanket on top of them. So where could Leo's special blanket be?

"OOF!" he heard Donnie yell. Leo turned his head to see his purple clad brother on the ground holding his hurt knee while sucking his thumb. He had tripped over…

"My blanket!" Leo exclaimed picking it up. "Are you okay, Donnie?" The turtle shook his head. Luckily, Master Splinter was nearby and picked up the little turtle.

"We will treat your cut," said the rat, who then turned to Leonardo, "I thought I told you to put that with the laundry?"

"I was sure I did," said Leo, bringing it over to the pile. "I guess I was wrong."

"Be more thoughtful next time," instructed Master Splinter. "Come, Donatello, we must put some iodine on your knee."

_Age 8 _

Leo didn't use his blanket very much by this point. He used it every night of course, but he didn't carry it around like he used to (not that he didn't on occasion when he was sad or scared). And he had a feeling he would only start using it if he had to now. Raph had made a big spectacle about Donnie's thumb, and Mikey's pacifier and Leo's blanket earlier today and had even done something so surprising that even Leo couldn't believe he had done it.

From now on, his blanket would stay folded in the sleeping area until bedtime on a cold night. He was far beyond a fear of Raph's silly monsters and was growing into a mature young leader already. And mature young leaders did not need security blankets.

He did feel a little remorse though. He loved that blanket like it was family and didn't really want to let it go. He patted it gently and said, "I'm sorry," and then walked off to go play with his brothers. That was the first night Leo didn't use his blanket from when he was two.

_Age 15_

Leo was meditating in the living room when April had walked in. Finishing a few more calming breaths, he got up and went to greet her. She was smiling and had a trash bag with her which she left to the side. The red haired woman gave her young friend a hug.

"What's up, April?" asked Leo.

"I'm having a sidewalk sale later today and I wanted to see if you guys had anything you wanted me to sell," she replied.

"I'm going to help her!" exclaimed Mikey in an orange hoodie and baggy ankle length shorts proudly as Leo saw him discreetly give his orange pacifier a rub and put it in his pocket.

"Make sure that hood stays up," instructed Leo. "And wear long pants, its cold today."

"Yes, Mother dear," said Mikey mockingly, going back to his room to get a pair of jeans. April giggled at the brothers.

"I'll go check my room for anything," said Leo, walking towards his room.

"Okay, I'm going to go ask Donnie. He's probably in his lab," said April, going to the purple clad turtle's cave of technology.

On his way to his room, Leo passed by Raph's. The red clad turtle was blaring his obnoxious heavy metal death rock screaming music (if you could even call it music, in Leo's opinion) so he hadn't even heard April come in. Annoyed, Leo banged loudly on Raph's door. The volume went down quite greatly.

"What?" Raph asked gruffly.

"April's here," said Leo. "She's having a sidewalk sale today. _Try_ to find something to sell in your clutter."

"Okay, fearless leader," said Raph, clearly annoyed.

Leo rolled his eyes and walked into his room. He scanned it. First thing he saw was a ball, they had gone to a secluded beach with April and Casey for a few during the summer and he had brought home the beach ball. It was autumn now so he didn't need it, plus he had a few seashells and pictures for sentimental value. Next thing was he own special collection of tea. He moved that to the side for safekeeping. Next he moved onto the bookcase, looking for the books he never read or didn't like that he couldn't give to others as gifts. And so it continued, Leo analyzed everything in his room about the usefulness and value of each until he had the ball, a nice stack of books, a Chutes and Ladders board game, several Statue of Liberty replicas, a Yankees baseball cap (one of his extras), an old catching mitt he didn't use anymore, and a Nerf gun (it was actually Mikey's but Leo had confiscated it and sooner he got rid of the awful thing the better).

The blue clad turtle turned around and it was about that time that his eyes landed on the end of his bed. And there it was his old security blanket. After all these years, Leo had kept it safe at the foot of his bed only used on the coldest winter months. Leo sat down and picked it up.

He wasn't as attached to it as he used to be. He did, however, feel a need to go and get it out of the rubble of their old home that had been destroyed by mousers once they were safely relocated. Raph had been there too, remising on the old times and Leo didn't care that he had pulled out the blue cloth and said, "Here it is!" He was just glad he found it at the time.

Now, he felt however, it was time to move on. No matter how much he loved this blanket, he was fifteen, it was rarely used and he had a nice fluffy blue striped comforter and warm bed. Leo had a habit of keeping sentimental things, but this was different. The edges were slightly frayed, but the blanket was still good and of no use in the house. So, Leo patted it and said, "I'm sorry," and placed it underneath everything.

Notably, Mikey noticed exactly what it was when he and April were laying out the stuff. He couldn't believe that Leo wanted them to sell it. However, Mikey was very pleased with who bought it. He was a father who had been carrying his blonde haired, blue eyed two year old son. As soon as the boy saw the blue cloth sticking out from amongst the clutter other shoppers had caused, he had said to his father, "Fadur, wud dat?"

_**End of Chapter… **_

**Kai:** Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I was considering deleting the story and reposting it later after I finished writing the stories I'm really going to focus on, but since this is only going to be four chapters, I figured I'd finish it now. The next chapter will probably be up really soon so, keep your eyes peeled. TMNT is owned by Nickelodeon and I only own the plot. I really hope you are all still reading this!


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